Arkadelphia City Board elects new director

PHOTO: Newly elected Ward 3 Director Robin Jones, center, shakes hands with Clark County District Court Judge Randy Hill following a swearing-in ceremony Tuesday at the Arkadelphia Board of Directors meeting. Also pictured are directors Jason Jones and Chris Porter, whose positions were up for re-election in 2024 but were uncontested. | arkadelphian.com photo/Joel Phelps

By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com

Arkadelphia has a new face on its City Board of Directors.

Two citizens of Ward 3 vied for the seat, which had been declared vacant when Keith Crews failed to meet the deadline to submit the required 50-signature petition to seek re-election. Crews, however, did turn in an application to fill the vacancy, but he wasn’t alone.

Arkadelphia High School teacher Robin Jones also showed interest in the spot. Both Jones and Crews, who recently sold his Benton-based scale equipment company ahead of retirement, addressed the city board regarding their desires to serve the city in a voluntary city director role.

A director since January 2021, Crews was blunt in his speech, saying he had questioned whether he wanted to continue on the board but concluded that he wanted to be a voice for the community.

Jones, who teaches family and consumer sciences, was more spirited in her address. The 1998 AHS graduate with multiple masters degrees from Henderson State University said she hoped to add to the board’s diversity and be a voice for her community.

Without questioning either candidate, the five directors retired to executive session for just under 20 minutes to discuss the candidates privately. Upon reconvening in public, a roll call vote was taken, with Jones securing a unanimous decision to fill the vacancy. Her victory drew applause from a sizable audience, many of which were there for Jones’s support.

Just as Jones was added to the city board’s roster, another director was removed as Reo Cummings vacated the Ward 4 position, relocating to Bay Town, Texas, for employment there. Qualified Ward 4 citizens interested in filling the seat should submit a letter of application to Town Hall by 5 p.m. Jan. 30. As with the Ward 3 position, directors will hear applicants in a public setting, then meet in executive session to discuss their preferences.

With six members present, the board carried on with a business-packed agenda that included annual reports from the Council on Aging, Community Family Enrichment Center, and Clark County Arkansas Historical Museum; directors approved the requested financials associated with each agreement.

City Manager Gary Brinkley also presented a 2025 budget proposal. While he assured the city’s financials continue to be in good shape, he noted a 2.2% dip in 2024 sales tax collections, or roughly $150,000. Directors will consider approval of the budget during its Jan. 21 meeting.

Brinkley also asked for the public’s patience with patch jobs at various intersections along Pine Street, as permanent patches to street cuts will be made once the underground utility lines have been put into service.